Patents Examined by Hao D Mai
  • Endodontic file system for cleaning and shaping a root canal
    Patent number: 10357333
    Abstract: An endodontic file system is provided for simultaneously cleaning and shaping multiple root canals, the system includes a drill head having a distal portion and a proximal portion; at least two adjustable couplers on the distal portion of the drill head, each adjustable coupler configured to secure an endodontic file for cleaning a root canal; and a rotary system configured to rotate each adjustable coupler, where at least one endodontic file has an adjustable working distance from the drill head to a root canal of a tooth. In an example, each adjustable coupler can be configured to have a torque control configured to allow for controlling the rotation of the adjustable coupler based on an amount of torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
    Inventor: Shahnaz Mohammad
  • Condensing skeletal implant that facilitate insertions
    Patent number: 10357338
    Abstract: A dental implant that facilitates insertion includes a body having a coronal end and an apical end opposite the coronal end. An implant-prosthetic interface region is provided adjacent the coronal end. A tapered region is adjacent the apical end. A variable profile helical thread extends along the tapered region. The thread becomes broader in the apical-coronal direction and higher in the coronal-apical direction. The threads include an apical side, a coronal side and a lateral edge connecting them. The variable profile thread includes an expanding length of the lateral edge while the distance of the lateral edge from the base is reduced in the direction of the coronal end. The implant also has a gradual compressing tapered core, a self drilling apical end with a spiral tap, and a coronal end with and inverse tapering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Nobel Biocare Services AG
    Inventors: Ophir Fromovich, Yuval Jacoby, Nitzan Bichacho, Ben-Zion Karmon
  • Dental implant and kit including said dental implant
    Patent number: 10350033
    Abstract: A dental implant for insertion in the jaw bone of a patient is provided. The dental implant has an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and a coronal end, an interior bore extending longitudinally from the coronal end, and a plurality of longitudinally extending anti-rotation structures formed at the inner circumference of the interior bore. The anti-rotation structures have a first set of anti-rotation structures constituting a first anti-rotation feature and a second set of anti-rotation structures constituting a second anti-rotation feature which is independent from the first anti-rotation feature. The anti-rotation structures of the first set and the anti-rotation structures of the second set extend in part over a common length along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: STRAUMANN HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Guillaume Bugnard, Ulrich Mundwiler
  • Pedodontic/veterinary dental crown system
    Patent number: 10299888
    Abstract: A dental crown consisting essentially of stabilized zirconia. The dental crown is particularly suited for pedodontic and veterinary applications and most preferably for pedodontic applications. The zirconia crown may be formed by one of several manufacturing processes. The formed crown exterior can be polished and fine polished and can be covered, preferably only partially, with a porcelain glaze to produce an aesthetic outer surface mimicking a natural tooth. Also disclosed is a method for providing and placing a dental crown upon a natural tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Inventors: John P. Hansen, Jeffrey P. Fisher
  • Kit and system for assembling an orthodontic bracket
    Patent number: 10265142
    Abstract: A kit for an orthodontic bracket, which includes at least a base plate and a flap that can be pivoted over the base plate, to which a flap directly or indirectly guided wire bow can be fastened. The kit includes a selection of base plates and flaps differing in size and shape. Base plates and flaps are produced from sheet metal by bending and stamping. The two parts can be connected to each other without a shaft by being pivoted in relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Inventor: Christoph Von Mandach
  • Piezoelectric device and circuitry
    Patent number: 10213272
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device having a circuit. The circuit includes at least one boost converter receiving power from an energy source, a square wave driver in series with the boost converter, an inductor in series with the square wave driver for converting a square wave to a sinusoidal wave, and a piezoelectric transducer in series with the inductor, the piezoelectric transducer connectable to a load. The device further includes a phase-locked loop coupled to the circuit to determine a resonance frequency of the piezoelectric transducer when the piezoelectric transducer is connected to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: INTER-MED, INC.
    Inventors: Gary J. Pond, John Baeten, Michael W. Allen
  • Implant for dental prostheses
    Patent number: 10201404
    Abstract: An implant for dental prostheses includes an endosseous portion and a stump. The endosseous portion includes a crown margin configured to be opposed to a corresponding crown margin of the stump. At least one of the crown margins is conical or however has a different taper with respect to the opposed crown margin so that, once the stump has been coupled to the endosseous portion, the contact and interference surface between the crown margins is a reduced annular surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Inventor: Alberto Martina
  • Method of attaching a dental component to a dental implant
    Patent number: 10149741
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of attaching a dental component having an angulated screw channel to a dental implant. The present invention also relates to a dental component having an angulated screw channel and a metal adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: NOBEL BIOCARE SERVICES AG
    Inventors: Adrian Haus, Lars Jörneus, Thomas Fischer, Thomas Eriksson, Mikael Brunell
  • Plunger assembly and a capsule for dispensing a dental material
    Patent number: 10117726
    Abstract: A plunger assembly for a cartridge for dispensing dental material. The plunger assembly has a receptacle, an activator, and a passageway extending through the receptacle along a longitudinal axis. The passageway forms a chamber for storing at least a component of the dental material and has an outlet for the chamber. The activator has a piston for extruding the component from the chamber and a plug for the outlet. The activator is movable to unplug the outlet and to subsequently extrude the component in a single stroke. The plunger assembly helps for reliably emptying the chamber and helps facilitating dispensation of dental materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Andreas J. Boehm, Marc Peuker, Arno Hohmann
  • Self-ligating bracket
    Patent number: 10111731
    Abstract: A self-ligating bracket include a bracket body with an arch wire slot. A mesial recess is located at a mesial side of the bracket body and extends into the bracket body from the arch wire slot. A distal recess is located at a distal side of the bracket body and extends into the bracket body from the arch wire slot. A central ridge defines a ridge surface separated from the lateral ledges respectively by mesial and distal walls. A clip includes a first arm and a second arm connected by a U-shaped portion. The first arm terminates in a mesial arm, a distal arm, and a middle arm. The clip is moveable between an open position in which the arch wire slot is accessible and a closed position in which the arch wire slot is occluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: AMERICAN ORTHODONTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jay S. Sommer, Eric W. Nimmer
  • Apparatus and method for optically scanning an object in registration with a reference pattern
    Patent number: 10098714
    Abstract: A system for scanning a dental arch of a patient includes a reference element having a reference pattern thereon; a holding mechanism configured to hold the reference element in a fixed position inside the patient's oral cavity adjacent to and spaced from the dental arch, wherein the holding mechanism is configured to be installed on the patient without contacting an occlusal surface of the dental arch; and an intra-oral scanner configured to scan the dental arch and an adjacent portion of the reference element to obtain a scanned image comprising the scanned portion of the dental arch and the scanned adjacent portion of the reference pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Eric Kuo
  • Jigs for placing dental implant analogs in models and methods of doing the same
    Patent number: 10092379
    Abstract: A placement jig for locating a dental implant analog in a physical model of a patient's mouth includes a base, a guide-strut receiving feature, a throughbore, and an angled receiving feature. The guide-strut receiving feature is positioned within the base and is configured to receive a guide-strut of the physical model thereby positioning a lower surface of the placement jig at a desired distance from an opening of a bore in the physical model. The throughbore receives a screw therethrough that engages the dental implant analog such that the dental implant analog is removably coupled to the base. The angled receiving feature is positioned about the throughbore on the lower surface of the base. The angled receiving feature includes a mating surface that is configured to abut a custom abutment positioned between the mating surface and the dental implant analog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Biomet 3I, LLC
    Inventor: Zachary B. Suttin
  • Multilayer dental appliances and related methods and systems
    Patent number: 10052176
    Abstract: A dental appliance for positioning a patient's teeth includes a removable orthodontic tooth positioning appliance having teeth receiving cavities shaped to directly receive at least some of the patient's teeth and apply a resilient positioning force to the patient's teeth. The appliance includes a hard polymer layer having a hard polymer layer elastic modulus disposed between a first soft polymer layer having a first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and a second soft polymer layer having a second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. The hard polymer layer elastic modulus is greater than each of the first soft polymer layer elastic modulus and the second soft polymer layer elastic modulus. At least one of the first soft polymer layer and the second soft polymer layer has a flexural modulus of greater than about 35,000 psi.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Chunhua Li, Yan Chen, Heinz Pudleiner, Klaus Meyer, Joerg Nickel, Craig Pehlert
  • Dental implant and abutment system
    Patent number: 10052179
    Abstract: A multi-unit dental implant system including a dental implant, a straight abutment, an angled abutment, and a plurality of copings or other components configured to universally fit on the cone-section of the straight abutment and the cone-section of the angled abutment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Zimmer Dental, Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Ilter, Ayra A Baker, Erika Echeverria
  • Method for planning a root treatment of a patient
    Patent number: 10039615
    Abstract: A method for planning a root canal treatment of a tooth which includes a cavity of a patient. The method includes measuring a surface of the cavity with an optical three-dimensional method to generate three-dimensional measurement data of the cavity. A 3D-model of a guide template is planned based on the generated three-dimensional measurement data. The 3-D model is designed in its dimensions as a counterpart to the cavity. Three-dimensional volume data of the tooth is displayed. A position and an orientation of a root canal of the tooth is determined based on the three-dimensional volume data of the tooth. A guide opening for a tool is planned to expose the root canal. The guide opening is arranged within the guide template so that the guide opening points at an entry point of the root canal and in an entry direction of the root canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: SICAT GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Joachim Hey, Jochen Kusch, Andreas Zollorsch
  • Guidance element for a tooth
    Patent number: 10004573
    Abstract: Guidance element for a tooth for interacting with an orthodontic treatment splint, the guidance element having a tooth connection surface as well as at least one engagement surface for engagement in the treatment splint in order to exert orthodontic torques and/or forces onto the tooth during the engagement, and having at least one slot for reception of an orthodontic treatment arch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Inventor: Friedrich Widu
  • Occlusal canting identifying tool
    Patent number: 9987111
    Abstract: The occlusal canting identifying tool includes a frame having an elongated horizontal portion and a pair of parallel side arms movably attached to the horizontal portion at opposite ends thereof. The tool further includes a vertical arm centrally positioned on the front of the horizontal portion and a measuring assembly positioned on the rear of the horizontal portion. The measuring assembly includes a protractor rotatably attached to the rear of the horizontal portion, the protractor being configured to rotate on a horizontal axis in relation to the horizontal portion, and a bite plate connected to the protractor, the bite plate being adjustable forward and backward in relation to the protractor. The patient is instructed to bite on the bite plate, and if occlusal canting is present, the degree of canting is quantified by rotation of the protractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: KING SAUD UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hessah Abdullah M. Alhuwaish, Khalid Abdulrahman A. Almoammar
  • Activated micro-bubble based root canal disinfection
    Patent number: 9987200
    Abstract: A photo-chemically activated micro-bubble based root canal disinfection method for disinfecting a shaped root canal comprises (a) introducing a photoactive solution into the root canal, the photoactive solution containing a photoactive compound (such as methylene blue) dissolved in an alcohol carrier solution (such as polyethylene glycol and/or ethanol); (b) removing excess photoactive solution from the root canal; (c) introducing a micro-bubble solution comprised of an oxygen carrier (such as perfluorocarbon), an oxidizing agent (such as hydrogen peroxide) and a surfactant (such as a nonionic polyoxyethylene surfactant); (d) sonically or ultrasonically activating the micro-bubble solution in the canal; and (e) introducing light into the canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: SyACT, LLP
    Inventor: Anil Kishen
  • Dampening insert for dental implants
    Patent number: 9918809
    Abstract: An insert for a dental prosthesis screwed onto an implant, in particular of the type having a superstructure and an implant to be integrated in the bone, which are reciprocally joined by a screw. The insert is composed of an element made of a damping material interposed between the coupling surface of the superstructure and the implant. With an insert according to the invention, a dental prosthesis screwed onto an implant is obtained, which reproduces the natural anchoring state of the tooth to the bone, so that the stress peaks on the superstructure are damped before being discharged onto the implant and consequently also onto the bone. An insert according to the invention also offers the advantage of sealing the contact area between the superstructure and the implant, thus preventing dangerous bacterial infiltrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Kulzer GmbH
    Inventors: Bruno Piasini, Antonio Maria Scotti
  • Gauze pad holder for post-surgical intraoral use
    Patent number: 9907635
    Abstract: A holder for safely securing a gauze pad for use in a post-surgical area in the intraoral cavity of a patient in order to allow a blood clot to form in safe, hygienic and sanitary conditions. The holder provides a holding cavity wherein the gauze pad is secured and held. It also requires a handle section that allows the external control of the gauze pad by the patient. Embodiments having holding sections with different ergonomic shapes according to the particular position of the intraoral surgical area requiring placement of the gauze pad are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Inventor: Cesar Talavera-Peraza